Description
Adversaries may inject malicious code into hijacked processes in order to evade process-based defenses as well as possibly elevate privileges. Thread Execution Hijacking is a method of executing arbitrary code in the address space of a separate live process.
Thread Execution Hijacking is commonly performed by suspending an existing process then unmapping/hollowing its memory, which can then be replaced with malicious code or the path to a DLL. A handle to an existing victim process is first created with native Windows API calls such as OpenThread. At this point the process can be suspended then written to, realigned to the injected code, and resumed via SuspendThread , VirtualAllocEx, WriteProcessMemory, SetThreadContext, then ResumeThread respectively.(Citation: Elastic Process Injection July 2017)
This is very similar to Process Hollowing but targets an existing process rather than creating a process in a suspended state.
Running code in the context of another process may allow access to the process's memory, system/network resources, and possibly elevated privileges. Execution via Thread Execution Hijacking may also evade detection from security products since the execution is masked under a legitimate process.
Platforms
Mitigations (1)
Behavior Prevention on EndpointM1040
Some endpoint security solutions can be configured to block some types of process injection based on common sequences of behavior that occur during the injection process.
Associated Software (4)
| ID | Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1145 | Pikabot | Malware | [Pikabot](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1145) can create a suspended instance of a legitimate process (e.g., ctfmon.exe), allocate memory within ... |
| S0579 | Waterbear | Malware | [Waterbear](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0579) can use thread injection to inject shellcode into the process of security software.(Citation: Tre... |
| S0168 | Gazer | Malware | [Gazer](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0168) performs thread execution hijacking to inject its orchestrator into a running thread from a remote pr... |
| S0094 | Trojan.Karagany | Malware | [Trojan.Karagany](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0094) can inject a suspended thread of its own process into a new process and initiate via the <c... |
Related CWE Weaknesses
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is T1055.003 (Thread Execution Hijacking)?
T1055.003 is a MITRE ATT&CK technique named 'Thread Execution Hijacking'. It belongs to the Stealth, Privilege Escalation tactic(s). Adversaries may inject malicious code into hijacked processes in order to evade process-based defenses as well as possibly elevate privileges. Thread Execution Hijacking is a method of executing arbit...
How can T1055.003 be detected?
Detection of T1055.003 (Thread Execution Hijacking) typically involves monitoring system logs, network traffic, and endpoint telemetry. Use SIEM rules, EDR solutions, and behavioral analytics to identify suspicious activity associated with this technique.
What mitigations exist for T1055.003?
There are 1 documented mitigations for T1055.003. Key mitigations include: Behavior Prevention on Endpoint.
Which threat groups use T1055.003?
While specific threat group attribution may vary, this technique has been observed in various real-world attacks. Check the MITRE ATT&CK website for the latest threat intelligence.